SCVO Equalities

Building Bridges is a programme of support activities designed to support voluntary sector organisations to address equalities and human rights issues. The programme has a particular focus on the promotion of “mainstreaming” and is delivered in partnership with Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector (GCVS). These activities are part-funded by European Social Fund Objective 3 Priority 5.1 and the Scottish Executive Equalities Unit and include the following key components:

Events Programme – a series of conferences, fora and seminars which aim to offer accessible platforms for debate, practice, knowledge and learning exchange across the voluntary sector and with other sectors
Organisational Development Programme – a series of inter-linked training and learning modules focused on equality of opportunity as an organisational and strategic issue. A full programme of 16 modules over 12 months will be delivered in 2007. A network forum helps support the training and learning of the particpants.
Resource Base – development of a library of practice guides and materials aimed at supporting the promotion and implementation of equalities and human rights issues
Information Briefings – provision of a weekly electronic bulletin service to a wide range of voluntary sector and social economy organisations.
Support to the Scottish Voluntary Sector Equalities and Human Rights Coalition

Building Bridges ran from 2001 -2007

Highlands & Islands Equality Forum

Highlands & Islands Equality Forum (HIEF) is a project to raise the awareness of equality issues in the Highlands & Islands. HIEF is funded by the European Social Fund, SCVO, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, University of the Highlands and Islands Millennium Institute, Communities Scotland, Department of Trade and Industry and Tulloch plc and delivers a range of training and information sessions.

For more information please contact Morag Redwood by email or phone on 01463 251738

BME Linked Work and Training Programme

The BME Linked Work and Training Programme is partnership project being delivered by SCVO and Linked Work and Training Trust (LWTT). The programme is a positive action project which seeks to address the under-representation of black and minority ethnic people working in management and promoted posts in Community Learning and Development.

It does this by delivering a three year package of training and work experience for 11 black and minority ethnic people employed in voluntary sector and social economy organisations. This culminates in the award of the Bachelor in Community Education and Development from the University of Glasgow – the professional recognised and accredited qualification enabling access to apply for promoted posts.

This project is guided by an advisory group comprising key stakeholders such as the Equal Opportunities Commission, Glasgow Anti-Racist Alliance, the Scottish Trades Union Congress, Learning Link Scotland, Glasgow City Council, the Commission for Racial Equality and Scottish Enterprise. In addition the programme delivers a range of dissemination events and information with a view to influencing and impacting upon the development of the policy and practice environment across a range of contexts including higher education, community regeneration, under-representation and positive action initiatives and community learning and development.

The programme runs from April 2004 until September 2007 and is funded by ESF Objective 3 Priority 4A.2, Communities Scotland, the Lankelly Foundation and the Hugh Fraser Foundation. For more information please contact Calum Guthrie by email or by phone on 0141 221 0030 or Fiona Craig, Linked Work and Training Trust on 01324 489 666

Social Economy Scotland

SCVO is the lead partner of Social Economy Scotland - a Development Partnership funded under Equal Community Initiative Programme. Equal Opportunities is one of the leading principles of the Equal programme and is embedded at all levels as part of a wider compliance framework. Social Economy Scotland adopts a project life-cycle approach by ensuring Equal Opportunities is considered at all stages - from project development and design, implementation to monitoring and evaluation.

This work also provides evolving perspectives on the application of equalities in relation to thematic areas of the partnership’s work – access to markets through procurement processes, business development approaches, financial arrangements and impact measurement.

For more information please contact Pauline Graham by email or by phone on 0141 225 8007

Equalities Policy Work

SCVO policy and development staff provide an ongoing dual function coordinating written responses across a range of Equalities consultation processes. Examples of this work include the response to the 'Fairness For All' consultation process on the Westminster proposal to create a UK-wide Commission for Equalities and Human Rights (CEHR). View our policy documents.

In addition SCVO equalities team participate in a wide range of equalities policy fora. Examples include the European Structural Funds Equal Opportunities Forum, Communities Scotland’s Gender and Regeneration Working Group and the Age Positive Scotland Steering Group.

For more information please contact Calum Guthrie by email or by phone on 0141 225 8004 or Celia Carson by email or phone on 0131 474 8017